MrsWaring

Yes this was my thought too... just thought it was interesting that it states on their webpage that it has no effect on immigration status. But we are not planning on covering my husband this way. He is able to get insurance for himself (not the rest of the family) through the job he is taken to begin with. Just looking at BadgerCare for myself and the children until we are both working full time.

Bob

Most don't, but that doesn't mean that they won't try to reclaim those funds from the financial sponsor.

MadRad

Sorry to hijack, but my dad has recently been diagnosed with diabetes (diet controlled), and is due to visit shortly.

Any tips for things to watch out for while he's here? Of course, eating out is one of the fun bits of being on holiday, so are there any restaurant chains that are particularly diabetic-friendly or that we should specifically avoid? I know very little about diabetes but am going to look for a diabetic cookbook so we can at least make up stuff for him to eat in the house.

Duncan Roberts

Don't look for a cookbook, they are basically a waste of money. Diabetes is very individual so what works for me wont always work for somebody else or what happens when I eat something may be completely different to somebody else who eats the same thing so ask him what he wants and how different things work for him. But generally you will be looking at low carb, as in 10g to maybe 45g depending on your dad per meal. Breakfast being the hardest since almost all type 2's are extremely insulin resistant first thing in the morning and some can't even eat 5g of carb withough spiking their blood sugar. Most sources will quote low fat but the carbs will do far more damage than fat will and there has started to be a shift in thinking about fats, especially saturated fat. As for eating out, don't go to any Asian themed placed, their sauces tend to have a lot of "hidden" carbs and are often rice or noodle based. As long as you go to a place with a varied menu he should be able to find something that fits in with his plan. However, saying you are diet controlled and being diet controlled can be very different. You may want to ask some questions about blood sugars (in UK measurements 3.8 to 6.6 when waking and randomly through the day or 3.8 to 7.7 a couple of hours after eating would be good numbers) and meal plans to see what kind of plan he is on and if he is following it. As a frame of reference, about 2/3 of diabetics do not follow the diet plan that has been recommended to them by their doctor. From my point of view that might be a good thing but for you, you basically need to find out what your dad has been recommended, what he is actually doing and then work that into the visit.

For the original poster. Today, with diabetes, you wont get private insurance, the insurance companies just wont offer you any plans. If you get a group plan via employment and coverage starts within 64 days of you leaving the UK then you will be fine and everything will be covered. If you get a group plan and coverage starts after 64 days, any diabetes related claim will not be covered for up to 12 months. It's the pre-existing condition clause in HIPAA, the insurance companies can deny coverage for pre-existing conditions up to 12 months if you have not had continuous coverage with no breaks longer than 64 days. Coverage under the NHS is classed as creditable coverage for this. The pre-existing condition clause will be there until 1/1/2014 for adults but if Romney gets elected it will probably be there for at least 4 more years. If you get denied coverage you may be able to get in on your states high risk plan but that takes time and some effort. Of course, the company doesn't have to include coverage for anything diabetic related. It's unlikely that would be the case but it's still possible.

Having diabetes is not something you want in general but you really don't want to have it without insurance. There are treatment options you get for very little money but things like test strips and going to the doctor to get a prescription can run a considerable amount. My test strips would cost me about $250 a month and going to my general doctor would cost about $100. If anything happened and I needed any hospital stay I would be looking at thousands, most likely 5 digit numbers but possibly 6 to 7 digits depending on how bad.

ian-mstm

+1.

I have Type 2 Diabetes and by keeping a low carb diet since February this year, have lost 50 lbs and my blood sugar is now normal. Over the years, my H1C dropped from an initial 13.8 to 9.2 in February, to 5.4 last month.

I count carbs... and don't bother counting anything else. Calories? Rubbish! Low-fat? Rubbish! I've kept to between 80-120 carbs per day with an average of 100 since February and the improvement has been quite dramatic.

Okay... getting off the low carb soapbox now!

Ian

MrsWaring

Strangely enough my nutrionist has adviced me to watch my protein intake and try to eat MORE slow release carbs. Not processed carbs like bread and pasta, but to eat oatmeal for breakfast, a banana mid morning, baked potata with beans for lunch, an apple mid afternoon and then a dinner which is low in fatty meat (ie red meat) with 2/3 of my plate consisting of veg and the other third made up of protein and carb.

But then again, my problem seems to be that my blood sugars run on the low side, normally at 2.5 but occasionally have been down to 1.2. Then they shoot up to 8.5 in the morning. So maybe I am just odd lol

MrsWaring

Thats great Ian!! Well done!!

MrsWaring

So while I am still borderline diabetic and not on meds, can I really get away with not telling the new physician or insurance company? And let it come out as a new diagnosis with the new doctors?